new directors of weekday preschool training
Post on 18-Jan-2018
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New Directors of Weekday Preschool Training Topics We Will Cover
-curriculum -classroom arrangement -staffing -policies and
procedures -parent communications -shared space -budget -licensing
Choosing a Preschool Curriculum
The Head Start National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning
defines a curriculum as a written plan that is based on sound child
development principals and includes: -goals for childrens
development and learning -experiences through which they will
achieve the goals -rules for staff and parents to help children to
achieve these goals -materials needed to support the implementation
of a curriculum Common Characteristics of Effective Curricula
-comprehensive domains of learning -specific learning goals
-well-designed learning activities -responsive teaching
-individualizing instruction -on going assessment -family
involvement -appropriate for program staff, children and families
Implementing the Curriculum
-are staff familiar with the scope and sequence? -are staff
familiar with the lesson plans goals and activities? -are all
recommended materials available? Professional Development
Support
-Does the program have the resources for providing teachers with
individualized consultation and coaching? -Does the program have
procedures for providing teachers with feedback on a regular basis?
Ongoing Assessment: How Well is the Curriculum Working for the
Children?
-Does the program have a assessment system for documenting
childrens learning over time? -Does the program have procedures for
reviewing childrens learning on a regular basis? -Do staff document
childrens behaviors during activities? -Do staff make appropriate
adaptations and modifications for children with special needs? -Do
staff use strategies to support language development in English
Language learners? The Creative Curriculum
-At the heart of The Creative Curriculum is knowledge of child
development theory and careful consideration of the latest research
in the field of early childhood education. -The Creative Curriculum
for Preschool is based on 38 objectives for development and
learning , which are fully aligned with the Head Start Child
Development Early Learning Framework Doing It Right -Do staff
implement curriculum lessons with regularity? -Do staff focus on
the specific goals identified in the lesson plans? -Do staff follow
all the steps or activities suggested in the lesson plans? -Do
staff use all the recommended materials? -Do staff use the
recommended teaching strategies? The Creative Curriculum
Based on five fundamental principals: -Positive interactions and
relationships with adults provide a critical foundation for
successful learning. -Social-emotional competence is a significant
factor in school success. -Constructive, purposeful play supports
essential learning. -The physical environment affects the type and
quality of learning interactions. -Teacher-family partnerships
promote development and learning. Zoo Phonics -Zoo Phonics uses
animals drawn in the shapes of letters for ease in memory. -A
related body movement is given for each letter. -This concrete
approach cements the sounds to the shapes of the letters.
-Educational research support the focus of phonics in early reading
programs, as well as the educational benefits of pictorial
mnemonics and kinesthetic approaches to learning. Handwriting
Without Tears
-Based on the skills children need for kindergarten and has a
curriculum that builds those skills developmentally through play,
music, activities and hands-on materials. -Teaches in a
developmental order by starting at the level that does not assume
prior knowledge or competency. -Teachers letters and numbers , what
they are and how we use them. Chapel Time Using Young Children and
Worship by Jerome Berryman and Sonja Stewart
-The key to this approach is a worship context for telling and
working with biblical stories. -Chapel Time is help in the church
sanctuary. -We have developed our own rituals for each session:
-lighting a candle to represent Christs light -presenting the Bible
lesson -gathering in prayer -ending with song -blessing each child
as they leave the worship time -Follow up book by Stewart is also
used: Following Jesus Classroom Arrangement Classroom
Arrangement
Characteristics of the learning environment Is welcoming to
children Provides enough materials for all the children Allows
children to find, use, and return materials independently
Encourages different types of play Allows the children to see and
easily move through all the areas of the classroom or center Is
flexible so children can extend their play by bringing materials
from one area to another Provides materials that reflect the
diversity of childrens family lives -Classrooms should be divided
into interest areas
-Classrooms should be divided into interest areas. -Items should be
labeled and stored in consistent places so that children can clean
up after using. -We try not to place noisy centers next to each
other. -The cozy corner or reading center is in a quiet area of the
room somewhat away from the other interest centers. -Encourage your
teachers to experiment! Preschool furnishings are easy to move so
if something isnt working try something new. Staffing
Qualifications
-experience working in an early childhood setting -understanding of
the basic principals of child development -willingness to be open
to new ways of doing things -ability to be a team player Background
Checks -It is necessary to have each new hire complete a background
check -Calvary completes a background check on everyone that comes
in contact with children -Things to consider: -does it cover multi
states? -do they need to be repeated at intervals? Evaluations
-Review the staff handbook and have new hires sign off that they
have read and agree to abide by the policies. -Review the
expectations as they appear on the evaluation at the first of the
school year -Calvarys evaluation is broken into 5 areas -General
Work Habits -Child Interactions -Parent Interactions -Classroom
Environment -Interactions with Co-Workers Dealing with an Employee
Problem
-each teacher has reviewed the staff evaluation prior to the start
of the school year so expectations are clear -meet one-on-one with
the teacher to discuss any concerns -be specific about concern and
offer suggestions for improvement -give timeline for expected
improvement and set up a follow-up meeting to review progress
-document, document, document! In instances where
coaching/mentoring is not effective: -Maintain a dialog concerning
the situation with the chair of your preschool board. -Insures that
if the employee needs to be terminated the board is aware of the
problem and aware of the steps that have been taken to improve the
situation. -If termination is necessary schedule a meeting with the
employee and a member of your board. Policies and Procedures
-Create a comprehensive Parent Handbook. -Things to include:
-tuition policy: when it is due, penalty for paying late, etc.
-withdrawal policy -registration policy -change of contact
information -school hours and school year dates Parent Handbook
Cont. -lunch bunch -inclement weather procedures -carpool
procedures -health form policy -when to keep your child at home
-field trips -dress -playground safety -messages for staff
-conferences -discipline -birthday celebrations Biting Policy
-Biting is in the range of expected behaviors for toddlers months
of age. -When a bite occurs we: -Evaluate the environment. -Attend
to the bitten child and complete incident report for both children.
-Remove biter from the immediate area and closely supervise. -If
the child biting continues to bite, the director will meet with the
parents and determine the best action. -In N.C. state laws requires
both the biter and the bitten submit to blood tests for Hep B and C
and HIV in the event that the skin is broken and there is blood
exposure. Parent Communications
-Classroom teachers should send home weekly newsletters and include
things such as theme for the week, special activities in the
classroom, birthdays celebrated and information regarding the up
coming week -Monthly newsletters from the director remind parents
of important dates for the month ahead and address any areas of
concern (ex. carpool issues) -We encourage parents that wish to
address concerns to make an appointment. -Each day during afternoon
carpool each teacher makes a point to give about 30 second insight
into that childs day. Shared Space? Shared Space Communication is
key- -Schedule regular meetings with director of Christian
Education, pastors, etc. to determine who will be using the space
-Create a schedule for space usage that can be shared with
preschool teachers, Sunday school teachers, scout leaders, youth
leaders, etc. -Set clear expectations for all who will be sharing
space -Define parameters for room usage: who sets up space for
church use who sets up space for preschool use whose responsible
for cleaning -Devise a system for marking/storage materials of each
group using the space -Will any supplies be shared? -Will teachers
need to clear room before it is used by another group? Shared Space
Questions to Consider
What policies do we have in place to allow ongoing communication
concerning issues around space between the Preschool Director and
church committees? How do we communicate with one another so that
there is more of a focus on community rather than individuality?
Relationship with Property Committee/Trustees
-Have an open line of communication with the committee or persons
responsible for care of the church building; attend committee
meetings to assure that your requests/needs are met. -Know the
committees expectations regarding cleaning, power usage, playground
upkeep, repairs, etc. Advisory Board -The Advisory Board of the
Weekday Preschool Ministry Program should be comprised of six to
nine members, including a certified teacher. An attorney, an
accountant and parents/guardians of young children.These should
include members and non-members of the church. Budget -Identify
staffing requirements and costs. -Create categories for expenses
and track throughout the year; we track our spending via a
financial resource called PowerChurch; easier to budget if you can
see exactly where monies are spent. -Carefully consider which
expenses directly correlate to your ministry goals. - Licensing
-The purpose of licensing standards is to protect children. Safety,
health, space, and staff requirements provide a foundation for
establishing and maintaining good programs for children. -Even if a
program is license-exempt by the state, an effort should be made to
meet licensing standards. -www.daycare.com has links for each state
to general licensing questions and contact information for the
appropriate agency resources. Resources -GBOD website--Guidelines
for Weekday Preschool Ministry Programs in the United Methodist
Church -PACT-UM Property and Casualty Trust, Insurance Protection
for Ministry offers quick and efficient resources that support
creating a safe space for everyone. -Head Start National Center on
Quality Teaching and Learning -Childcare and the ChurchThe UM
resolution on our responsibility to children.
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